Michael Davitt
Michael Davitt (20 April 1950 - 19 June 2005) was an Irish poet who published in the Irish language.Kathleen Cracken, "Act of Defiance: The poetry of Michael Davitt," Antioch Review, 48:3 (1990), 372–380. Print. He has been characterised as "one of modern Ireland's finest poets in either of the nation's languages and key figure in the 1970s Irish Language poetry movement.The Oomph of Quicksilver. Web, November 2010. Life Davitt was born and raised in Cork, Ireland.Davitt, Michael. Irish Writers Online. Web, Jan. 19, 2017. Although he wrote in Irish, it was not his first language. He attended the North Monestery school, where he mastered Munster Irish. He pursued Celtic Studies at University College, Cork. After leaving the university, Davitt moved to Dublin where he worked as a teacher and with Gael Linn, an Irish cultural organisation. Described as an "impresario" for Irish language poerty, in 1970 Davitt founded the journal Innti. Davitt worked for Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) as a presenter from 1985–1988, and subsequently as a producer and director through the 1990s. His production credits include the television documentaries Joe Heaney: Sing the Dark Away (1996) and John Montague: Rough Fields. He took early retirement to devote himself to writing, travelling between Ireland and France with partner Moira Sweeney. In 2005, Davitt died unexpectedly in Sligo, Ireland, survived by one son and two daughters. Writing A successor to Seán Ó Ríordáin, whose first language was also English, his work was considered avant garde with urban and rural tones in combination, and an expression of "...a belief in language as the locus of personal and ... national and international self-definition." The importance of location in which the real and imaginary worlds are part of one another is another major theme of his work. Analytic and intellectual, Davitt's poetry is infused with a self-awareness of his choice of language, and incorporates some English words, which seem to act as a challenge to the poet to validate use of Irish on any topic, breaking those ties to traditional forms which might limit his "contemporary imagination." The confrontation of traditional Irish culture and modern English culture is a core theme in many of his works. As he put it, "What is important is to continue believing in the Irish language as a vibrant creative power while it continues to be marginalised in the process of cultural McDonaldisation..." Recognition In 1994, Davitt was awarded the Butler Prize by the Irish American Cultural Institute. Publications Poetry *''Gleann ar Ghleann''. Dublin: Sáirséal-Ó Marcaigh, 1981. *''Bligeard Sráide''. Dublin] & Coiscéim: Dearadh agus leagan amach / Vermilion, 1983. *''Selected Poems, 1968-1984 = Rogha Dánta, 1968-1984''. Dublin: Raven Arts, 1987. *''Freacnairc Mhearcair: Rogha dánta, 1970-1998 = The Oomph of Quicksilver: Selected poems, 1970-1998''. Cork: Cork University Press, 2000. Edited *''Sruth na Maoile: Gaelic poetry from Scotland and Ireland''. Edinburgh: Canongate Press / Dublin: Coiscéim, 1993. *''Innti'' (Literary magazine). Dublin: 1994- Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Michael Davitt, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Jan. 19 2017. References External links ;Poems *"Ó mo Bheirt Phailistíneach" ;About *Davitt, Michael at Irish Writers Online *"Michael Davitt, poet and champion of Irish, dies at 55," Irish Times Category:1950 births Category:2005 deaths Category:Aosdána members Category:Alumni of University College Cork Category:Irish journalists Category:Irish poets Category:People from Cork (city) Category:RTÉ television presenters Category:20th-century poets Category:Irish-language poets Category:Poets